brokhalme



(No Model.)

A. v. BROKHALME,

RAZOR GUARD.

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ALFRED V. BROKHALME, OF NEWV YORK, N. Y.

RAZOR-GUARD.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 311/l66, dated February 3, 1885.

Application filed March 15, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, ALFRED V. BROKHALME, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented anovel Guard for Razor-Blades, of which the following is a specification.

The primary object of my invention is to provide a shield to slip over the razor-blade and guard or cover the edge of the same, and to remain upon the blade when the blade is folded or turned into the slot of the handle, so as to prevent the possibility of the edge of the blades striking the sides of the handle, as frequently occurs at present. A secondary object is to so construct this shield that it may serve as an assistant or safety device in shaving, particularly in the hands of novices in the practice.

To these ends my invention consists, essentially, in a cover or shield adapted to fit over the razor-blade, so as to project around or be yond its cuttingedge, and thus prevent the possibility of contacts with the cutting-edge, the said shield being adapted to turn with the blade within the slot of the handle, whereby the edge is thus protected from all injury. I prefer to make this shield in the form of ailat tube of a similar cross-section to the razorblade, and adapted to slip over and envel pc the blade, the tube being so formed at its w.i er edge as to closely fit the back of the razor and embrace the sides, so that the opposite or narrow edge of the tube is isolated'from the cut ting-edge of the razor, which is thus kept out of contact with the shield, and at the same time guarded from contact with external ob; jects, which forms another feature of my invention.

A further feature consists in slitting the isolated or protecting edge of the shield or tube so that the cutting-edge of the razor within may be exposed at numerous points, so that if the blade with its shield attached is moved over the skin the slotted edge of the shield will slide on the skin, while the hairs of the beard will enter the numerous fine slots and be cut off by the inclosed edge of the razor, thereby enabling the operation of shaving to be performed without any danger of cuts.

The invention also embodies some minor features, as hereinafter fully set forth.

In the drawings, Figure 1 presents a perspeetive view of a razor provided with my im- (No model.)

is a perspective View of a modified form of.

guard. Fig. 4 is a similar view of a still simpler form. Fig. 5 shows another modification.

In Fig. 1, a indicates the blade of the razor, and b the handle, which are presumed to be of the ordinary construction. The handle is, as usual, formed of two side pieces, b I), held together in the usual way at each end, the tang of the razor-blade being pivoted between the side pieces at one end, leaving the usual slot or space, 0, between the sides, into which the blade fits when folded or turned into the handle in the usual manner, as shown by dotted lines. It frequently happens that, owing to some warping of the side pieces or a careless movement in folding of the razor, in swinging the blade into the handlethe cutting-edge is forced against the edges of side pieces, b I), and the edge thereby dented, dplled, or otherwise injured. This injury is pr vented by my improved guard A, which is sl ibwn applied to the blade in Figs. 1 and 2. In these figures the guard is represented as a simple flat tube of wire-cloth, made in a cross-section, similar to that of the razor-blade, and oft length equal or greater than the cutting-edge of the blade, so that the tube is thus adapted to slip over and envelop the blade. The tube is made of such a thickness, and the slot 0 in the handle of such a width, that the blade, with its envelope or guard applied, will readily fit in the slot of the handle when the blade is turned therein, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1; hence, as the lube envelops and protects the edge of the razor it will be seen that when it is slipped over the naked blade, after the operation of shaving is performed and before the blade is turned into the handle or placed in its case, the edge of the blade is thoroughly protected from the possibility of striking the sides of the handle, or from any other of the usual incidental injuries to which it is subject either when swung into or out of the handle, or placed in or removed from its case.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, it will be seenas shown in Figs. 2 and 3, whereas the front edge of the tube is wider than the front edge of the razor-blade and projects beyond and around the same, so that the tube takes its grasp on the blade back of the cutting-edge, and the cutting-edge is therefore isolated from the sides of the tube within the front edge of the same, thus preventing any contact of the tube with the edge, while the tube itself prevents the contact of any external objects with the cutting-edge, as will be readily understood. Instead of making the shield of wirecloth, as in Figs. 1 and 2, it may be made of a continuous-sheet tube, as in Fig. 4, or a sheet tube with openpaneled sides and with a finely-slotted edge, as in Fig. 3, the tube in either case fitting over the blade, and acting in the same manner, as already described. The upper end 'of each tube is preferably provided with a stop, f, to strike against the end of the razor-blade and limit the movement of the tube down on the blade, as will be comprehended from Figs. 1 and 8.

Instead of making the shields in the form of continuous tubes, one side of the tube maybe omitted, as shown in Fig. 5, the action of which is substantiallythe same as the former devices and will be readily understood from the drawings.

In the case of Fig. 1, I prefer to omit the longitudinal wires in the mesh of the tube adjacent to the cutting-edge of the blade, so as to leave the transverse wires only running around the edge,as illustrated in Figs. land 2; hence, although the edge would still be entirely'protected froni contact with any large or irregular objects, yet fine objects-such as hairs could readily enter the meshes and contact with the protected cutting-edge within. It is therefore obvious that the blade, equipped as inFig. 1, can be used advantageouslyin shaving, as when applied to the skin the smooth edge of the wire mesh around the cuttingedge of the razor would glide easily over the skin, while the hairs of the beard would enter the mesh and be cut off instantly by the advancing edge of the razor, while the possibility of the edge itself coming in actual con-, tact with the skin is prevented, although held very close thereto, so that this device will therefore obviate all danger in the operation of self-shaving by beginners or inexperienced persons.

The shield shown in Fig. 3 with the slotted edge'will perform the same function above described, and will, it is thought, be a preferred form of construction for this purpose, as will be readily appreciated. Theimproved guard is not,of course, confined to the common form of razor illustrated in Fig. 1, in which the blade swings into the handle, butis equally adapted to that class of razors made with short handles and with changeable blades, which blades are reinovably socketed in the tang which is pivoted in the handle, the said blades, when removed from the tang, being placed in stalls or partitions in a case. The guard, when applied to the naked blade, will of course protect the edge of the blade when placed in its stall, with the same effect as when applied to the common blade, which swings into its handle, as will be readily comprehended.

Vhatl claim is Atubular shield adapted to fit overarazorblade, tightly embracing the same at the back and sides, with the front edge isolated from and projecting around the same, substantially as herein shown and described.

ALFRED v. BROKHALME. 

